Florida: 148 arrested in human trafficking raid

Authorities in Hillsborough County, Florida stated that 148 individuals were arrested following a raid in connection with human trafficking over the past three months. Along with those arrested, they also freed seven victims.

"Operation Summer Shield", an undercover human trafficking operation, led to the discovery that women as young as 16 were being trafficked, Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister told a press conference this week. The recovered victims consist of five adult females and two minors.

County authorities were able to uncover part of the scheme by posing as minors on social network sites to make contact with predators. That's how, police got to John Randall Craddock, a 33-year-old man who planned to talk to a 15-year-old girl.

"Craddock sent numerous explicit and perverse messages and even audio messages describing the sexual acts he wanted to perform on this 15-year-old girl," Sheriff Chad Chronister said. Craddock now faces charges that include traveling to meet a minor after using computer services/devices to solicit certain illegal acts and attempted lewd or lascivious battery.

Along with Craddock, several other adult men and even one woman were also charged. State Attorney Suzy Lopez noted that, if convicted, the human traffickers face a mandatory minimum life sentence in Florida state prison.